May 21, 2024
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Marine Corps vet Bill Meyer giving back to his hometown of Sandwich

By Eric Schelkopf
Sandwich resident Bill Meyer was in the United States Marine Corps from August 1967 to May 1970. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive.

Sandwich resident Bill Meyer was in the United States Marine Corps from August 1967 to May 1970. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive. (Eric Schelkopf)

Although he no longer is part of the military, lifelong Sandwich resident and Vietnam War veteran Bill Meyer continues to serve.

The 74-year-old Meyer grew up in Sandwich and has lived in the same house for 49 years. Coincidentally enough, the house is located two blocks from where he was born.

“I wanted to feel like I was doing my part.”

—  Vietnam veteran Bill Meyer

Meyer was in the U.S. Marine Corps from August 1967 to May 1970. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive.

In late January 1968, during the lunar new year (or “Tet”) holiday, North Vietnamese and communist Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in South Vietnam.

Sandwich resident Bill Meyer was in the United States Marine Corps from August 1967 to May 1970. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive.

Sandwich resident Bill Meyer was in the United States Marine Corps from August 1967 to May 1970. He was sent to Vietnam in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive. (Eric Schelkopf)

“I spent 19 months there,” Meyer said. “I did a regular tour and one extension. That way I could stay with my outfit rather than having to come back and then get shipped to some different place.”

He enlisted in the Marine Corps after wanting to be a Marine since he was a little kid.

“I wanted to feel like I was doing my part,” Meyer said. “Most of the people I was in school with were looking for ways to not get drafted. If that’s the way they felt, that was fine. I figured it was my job to do this. And I wanted to see if I could handle combat.”

Meyer is a member of the Lewis P. Schultz VFW Post 1486 in Sandwich and for the past 15 or 16 years, has been running a community service program through the post. Those in the program are assigned to do community service as part of a court order.

“All I require is that they show up and do what they’re told,” Meyer said. “Having been a sergeant in the Marine Corps, I’m kind of fussy about how things get done. But we’ve gotten a lot of good work out of them.”

Those in the community service program recently worked on making repairs to the patio at the post. Meyer, who is a big history buff, also tries to educate those in the program about various topics.

“When they leave here, they’re going to know a little more about history and they’re going to know a little more about our government,” Meyer said. “I figure that if they learn something, that’s the service to the community.”

Meyer is not seeking any credit for his continued dedication to service.

“Some famous person said there is no limit to what we can accomplish if we don’t care who gets the credit,” he said.

Meyer said it feels good to give back to his hometown. And Sandwich VFW Commander Bob Leonard appreciates his service to the post, including overseeing the community service program.

“They do a lot of work around the post,” he said. “They do a fantastic job for us. We’re pretty old and can’t do a lot of this physical stuff any more and these guys are a really big help to us.”